Firewhiskey, and August Evenings
by SAC31
Summary: Finding a quiet August afternoon was a rarity in the Evans household. However this solitude was ruined by the doorbell. Huffing as she walked over, she pulled the door open, finding none other than James Potter standing there, a bottle of firewhiskey in hand. Read to find out what happens next! One-shot.


**Hey guys, just a one-shot I felt like writing, being inspired by a RP. Hope you guys like it!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I am not J.K. Rowling.**

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"**Firewhiskey and August Evenings"**

One evening in August Lily Evans was sitting at home, reading. She had spent the entire day at a bridal party for her horrible sister Petunia and she had only just returned home, accounting for her moderately fancy pale yellow tea dress. Her parents were at a dinner party and Petunia was doing wedding-prep with her fiancé, meaning the house was empty. A rarity for the Evans household. However this solitude was ruined by the doorbell. Huffing as she walked over, she pulled the door open finding James Potter standing there, a bottle of firewhiskey in hand "Potter? What are you doing here?"

James couldn't help but admire Lily as she stood astounded at her door. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes were bright, as they glimmered at him in wonder. Her hair was a tousled auburn mess on her head, with a few stubborn strands falling out of her bun, framing her heart shaped face and twisting around her delicate porcelain neck. His fingers twitched with an irrational urge to reach out and tuck one lock behind her ear. She was truly beautiful.

"Alright there, Evans?" He grinned, looking her over with a lope-sided grin.

"You... How did you find out where I lived?" She breathed, raising an eyebrow.

"That, my dear, is a mystery. And could you just cut with the attitude and admit you're glad to see me."

Lily couldn't help but smile slightly, rolling her eyes "Only because you have alcohol." She said

"Is that so, Evans?", James retorted, grinning goofily at her as he leaned against the door.

"Just come in, you prat." She said opening the door wider and stepping back "I hear that a congratulations is in order, Head Boy." She smirked.

"Why yes, yes. I see someone has been keeping tabs on me," he said winking. "It's official. Dumbledore has finally gone bonkers", James chuckled, bowing extravagantly in the doorway, before making his way inside.

"I'm not going to fight you on that point." She grinned, walking into the lounge "So what brought this completely unannounced visit on?" Lily asked, fiddling with the record player in the corner.

"Well lets say, I hadn't seen a certain redhead in quite a while," James said, taking a swig of his firewhiskey, his eyes never leaving Lily.  
"And what's with the dress? Not that I'm complaining."

Lily tried not to blush, pulling the hem down slightly. It was difficult not to do so when receiving a compliment from James. She hated to admit it, but he was rather attractive. No, cut that out, It was an understatement. He could be a model! Seeing as he was atleast half a foot taller than Lily, with broad shoulders and a toned body (Hey, she only knew that because he took his shirt off after a Quidditch match once). The abnormality that he called "hair" comprised of glossy black locks that James preferred to tousle and mess after very two minutes, even though they were pretty messy themselves. She often wondered if making them lie flat was even possible. He had chiseled facial features, and he basically looked like an alive and functioning human representative of Adonis. But the most intriguing and beautiful feature of his body, were his eyes. The array of gold, green and red, had to be one of the most mesmerizing things ever created. His eyes, which were hidden behind the most adorable round specs, had the ability to make her melt, and she felt as if she could get lost in its deep pits.  
Snapping out of her daydream about his eyes, she sighed. Shaking her head slightly she answered his question.

"Some stupid party for Petunia. She forced me into it," She turned back to him, satisfied with the Beatles filling the room. "You know, I do have glasses," She commented smirking.

"Oh yeah sorry,"James said, ruffling his hair as held out his bottle of booze, grinning toothily as he did so.

"So how was the party, my favorite flower?"

"Don't call me that." Lily took the bottle from him, taking a sip straight like he did. Her face screwed up slightly as the liquid burned down her throat "And it was mind-numbingly dull, full of bitter old women and marriage-crazy friends of Tuney's," Lily said honestly, finally able to speak her mind for the first time this summer.

"Oh that's too bad, and hey! I had grown quite attached to that nickname. But as I would like to have my hair intact to my head, I shall abide your request, O fiery red-head. What would you prefer? Lilykins?", James teased, taking a swig from the bottle Lily held just a few moments ago.

Lily rolled her eyes, a smile twitching at her lips as she sat down on the floor "No nickname is just fine," She commented looking up at him "Or I'll call you Jamsey-poo,"

"Oh, you wouldn't dare," James challenged, raising an eyebrow as he sat down next to Lily, studying her expression with fondness and amusement.

"Wouldn't I?" She grinned at him, nudging his leg with her own "Pass me the bottle," She said holding out her hand.

"Ooh, someone feels daring today. We wouldn't want the Head Girl getting drunk now, would we. And with a certain James Potter? What has the world come to?!" James exclaimed, throwing his hands up in mock horror.

Lily rolled her eyes "Oh shut up, Potter." She said taking the bottle from him before pausing "How about we play a game?"

"A game? Sure Evans, you know I'm all in."

"Never have I ever," She said smiling, pulling her hair to one shoulder "You know the rules, right?"

"Could you please specify which game you are referring to?" James asked, smiling.

"You know, I'll say something I've never done, and if you've done it then you take a drink. We go in turns." She explained "Alright for example, never have I ever rode a motorcycle," She said, knowing James had borrowed Sirius' at some point during the summer

Taking a swig of the firewhiskey, James looked at her expectantly. "Is it my turn to ask?"

She nodded, playing with the necklace around her neck, it was one that the Marauders all bought for her for her 16th birthday.  
The Marauders were James' group of friends, also the most popular boys at school. Lily didn't, initially, get along with any of them, but Remus, who was her fellow Prefect. She hated the rest for sure, but James' case was different. She hated him with a passion.  
He was that type of a bloke, who knew he was brilliant. So he spent his time going around flaunting it in people's faces, and hexing people just because he could. He was arrogant, insufferable, immature, nosy and pig-headed. And if you mix him with a spoonful of Lily, all you would get is an infinite amount of Hydrogen gas which is most likely going to explode in your face.  
Since third year, he claimed to be attracted to her, and would repeatedly ask her out, not taking "no" for an answer. And as Lily tended to be rather violent when angry (which James' presence usually made her), it was common to find a certain black haired boy being admitted to the hospital wing because of a certain red-head.

But from the beginning of last year, Lily's sixth, James came back from the summer different. He was more responsible, mature and friendly. His arrogant side seemed to have evaporated over the summer heat, and Lily was able to see his real side. They became rather good friends that year, much to the amazement of the other students, and Lily realized that the things she hated about James weren't so bad after all. In fact, it seemed as she had finally seemed to return his said feelings. Lily Evans finally liked him.

Snapping back to reality, she found James staring at the wall with concentration. He looked rather adorable.  
With a resigned face, he looked back at her and replied.

"Okay, um. I have never eaten dirt", James asked lamely, ruffling his hair as he did so.  
Lily raised an eyebrow, shaking her head "You strike me as the kind of child who would," She said, her hand moving of its own accord to pull down his hand "Stop ruffling your hair,"

James took a sharp intake as his hand came into contact with hers. Looking at Lily intently he lowered his hand, holding her hand a tad longer than necessary before letting it go.  
Trying to ignore the emotional exchange, he grinned.  
"Your turn, Lils."

Lily sighed shakily, pulling her hand into her lap and looking straight ahead, feeling his gaze burning into her skin. She took a drink. "Never have I ever been in the Forbidden Forest," She said quickly, trying to calm her flushed face.

Still shaky from his previous encounter, and with a hint of a passing blush on his cheek, James sighed before slowly moving forward and taking the bottle of booze, taking a quick swig of it.  
"Never have I ever been deceived." He mumbled.

Lily frowned, biting her lip and thinking of Severus, before taking a long drink, her eyes catching his for a second.  
Severus had been her best friend, who had, in a moment of anger, called her the one thing he tried to convince her she wasn't. A mudblood. Sadly, this reaction was induced out of him after an exchange with James, who he hated. Lily cut ties with him, and though James hated the guy, he felt guilty for what it did to Lily.  
"Never have I ever... snogged in the broom closets," She said lamely, just wanting to move on from that.

James' slightly guilty expression quickly turned into an amused one as he chuckled softly and grabbed the firewhiskey bottle, winking at Lily before indulging in a long sip. James was considered as the Casanova of the school, and it was believed that he practically lived in the various broom closets that were scattered around Hogwarts.

"Never have I fallen in front of a crowd." He said, smirking at her.  
Lily nudged him with her elbow "That's not fair!" She exclaimed, thinking about the time not too long ago where she fell down the stairs in front of everyone, James had been laughing the loudest (once he realised she wasn't hurt). But she took a drink, despite her protests.

"Hey, that was just outright hilarious okay? You can't blame me, I just had to let it out", he defended mockingly, raising his hands in surrender. "Oh and it's your turn, Lilykins. Fire away!"

"Don't call me that," She said narrowing her eyes "Never have I ever taken ballroom dancing lessons," She said grinning, Sirius had let it slip that James' mum forced him to go in the summer before fourth year. "Drink up, Potter."

"How the hell do you know about that?" James asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "Sirius is so dead." he mumbled, taking a sip of his firewhiskey, before his eyes widened in excitement, almost shouting out "Never have I walked into the Great Hall with toilet paper stuck to my shoes!"

"That was in first year!" She replied, taking the exact same volume, before drinking "Never have I ever tried to fly over the Black Lake and fallen in." She said back grinning, remembering James' expression and how a piece of water weed stuck to his hair

"Not fair," James grinned, taking a quick swig before choking out, "Never have I fought over a treacle tart"  
Seeing Lily Evans, Prefect of Hogwarts, on the ground with a fellow Gryffindor, fighting over a tart at breakfast had to be one of the funniest things he had ever seen. Even the teachers had stopped and stared.

Lily took a drink, racking her brains for a good one.

"Never have I ever set my best friend's hair on fire!"

"Hey, he was asking for it. Plus I'm sure it was an improvement for Sirius. I swear, you couldn't tell the difference between Tarzan and him, seeing how long his hair had gotten." he winked, before reaching out for another gulp. Words slightly slurring, James said "Never have I hexed Mrs. Norris"

"I wouldn't hurt a poor defenseless cat," Lily countered, scooting down and laying her head just before his knees "Never have I ever..." Lily paused biting her lip, trying to think of one "Fallen in love,"

Looking at Lily with an unfathomable expression, James slowly leaned forward and picked up the bottle of firewhiskey, staring at it as he rotated and twirled it around, studying the dark liquid. He contemplated on telling her the truth. He knew she didn't believe him, and that this confession could change things, but he had made up his mind. It was time for her to know. Raising the bottle to his lips and taking a long gulp, he appraised her reaction to this revelation.

Lily stilled, not sure how to react, just biting her lip. Surely it had to be someone else. It can't have been her. It can't.  
Putting down the bottle, he turned back to look at her shocked face. His eyes trailed all over her face. From her striking emerald green, almond shaped eyes, to her full rosy lips, which were now parted, as she breathed in a shocked gasp, revealing her pearly white incisors.  
How he yearned to kiss those lips. They were barely a foot apart, he could do it so easily, but he knew it wasn't the time.

James looked away from Lily, regretting his decision. He had spoiled his perfectly good friendship with her by just telling her his stupid secret. He buried his face in his hands and mentally cursed himself. A heaviness hung about them and they were silent for quite sometime.

Just as James had decided to leave, Lily spoke up.

"Who?" she croaked, clearing her slightly hoarse voice.

Snapping his head up, he looked at the wall, avoiding her face. Running his hands through his hair in frustration, he exhaled. "You know who Lily. It's you. It has always been you."

Her heart fluttered in her chest at his revelation, and her stomach did flips of glee. A slow smile spread across her lips. She was worried that he was talking about Jasmine Fenwick, the Ravenclaw 6th year chaser, who was said to be James' latest love interest according to the rumors at school. And how could she not? She was smart, beautiful, funny and talented. While Lily was plain and boring. How could he have been interested in her? Frowning slightly at this realization, she didn't realize that she had voiced her thoughts out loud.

"Why me?" she stuttered.

On hearing this, James turned around to look at Lily in shock. She was frowning at her lap, fiddling her fingers nervously.  
James reached out and stopped her hands, enveloping her small soft ones with his large tanned and calloused ones. She welcomed the pleasant heat his hands brought, and mused at the fact of how perfectly their hands fit. It felt right.  
Completely oblivious to this exchange, James took one hand and touched her chin, tiliting her face up so that he could look into her eyes.

"What do you mean, 'Why me'?" he whispered, not looking away from her green orbs.

Hypnotized by his eyes, Lily answered his question truthfully, speaking her mind.

"How could someone like you like someone like me? Look at me. I'm absolutely plain, I look like any average girl, so there is nothing that can draw you in. I'm a stupid red-head with a freckled face and a fiery temper. And I'm a boring nerd who is the bang opposite of you. All I do, is stay cooped up in the Library or my dormitory reading, while you go around doing pranks, or exploring the castle. How could someone like you like someone like that? And along with that, don't forget our history. I've caused you so much pain James. How could you still like me after that?" A treacherous sob escaped her throat, and silent angry tears started flowing down her cheeks. Wiping at them furiously, she continued, "I'm a horrible person. A bloody hypocrite. I judged you. For five years I thought of you as someone you weren't, building my own personal image of you. I got to know you now, and I feel so guilty for all I said and did. For how I missed out on getting to know the amazing person that you really are." Looking away from him, she closed her eyes and cried, her sobs shaking her petite frame.

Seeing Lily cry made James realize that he hated to see this. He vowed at that moment that he'll try his best to make her smile. He was ready to even leave her, if it would make her happy.  
Hesitantly, James reached out and touched her shoulder reassuringly. Then, by mustering up the rest of his Gryffindor courage, he leaned forward and enveloped her in his arms.  
Lily leaned in and buried her face into his chest, breathing in his delicious musky, pine and unique scent. Her uncontrollable tears wet his shirt, as he pressed his face into her strawberry scented hair, kissing it.

"How could you even think that? You have to be the most beautiful girl in our year Lily, but that doesn't matter to me. What matters is who you are. You're amazing. I love everything about you. You're so kind, generous, loving, caring, sweet, loyal and funny. Everyone loves you, and you just seem to light up even the darkest dungeons with your smile. You also have to be the most interesting people I know. I can never get bored around you, and you have a lasting impression on me. I'm always smiling because of you, and quite frankly, Sirius is getting really freaked out about it now," they both chuckled at that, and she looked up at him, urging him to continue. "Though, I agree the waiting was far too long, I have to admit that I am secretly glad that you didn't say yes to me when I first asked you out. You would have been just another girl then. It was in third year that I realized that I actually had strong feelings for you. All the other girls were just distractions Lily. When you kept saying no, my friends tried to make me move on, but I just couldn't. There was just one problem. They weren't you. The thing is that once you start loving someone, you just can't stop. So I never gave up." James looked down into her deep green eyes, which were shining in the light of the setting sun. "And for you being mean, I can't blame you. I wasn't all too nice then either. But what I want you to know is that, I find my haven in your eyes, Lily Evans. And my home is in your arms. I love you. And there is nothing anyone can do about it."

Lily stared at the beautiful young man in awe as he let out his confession. His words warmed every part of her body, and her heart pounded in her chest, her blood hummed in her veins. She felt light-headed and completely and utterly happy, not finding it possible to even move a fraction of a centimeter away from him. And that was when she realized it. She loved him too.  
Sliding her hands up his arms and onto his shoulders, she heaved herself up, adjusting herself properly as she came to his eye level, gazing into his eyes that were ablaze with curiosity.

Leaning in slowly, she captured his lips in hers.  
The kiss wasn't a gentle brush of lips, it was a passionate one. One in which, Lily let go of all her insecurities and let her emotions run wild, answering every un-spoken question James' asked. She revealed all her feelings in that one kiss, and it wasn't long before they broke apart, gasping for air.

"James?"

"Yes dear?"

"I love you too."

"Oh I know."

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**Hope you liked it!  
Please review, and tell me what you think! It would mean alot to me. :)  
-Schaz.**


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